Every business owner likes to believe that their ideas are the best ones. The hope is that a new marketing campaign will generate the company additional revenue, replacing the one that is actually working and often does not need fixing.
Creating a new market campaign should be left up to the professionals who have the knowledge and experience in marketing a product or service to consumers.
However, when an idea is already working and netting the company a ROI, it’s better to leave it alone than to change something that isn’t broken.
Unless your Los Angeles socialite Kim Kardashian, then any changes whether they are good or bad, will always net you publicity and income.
As the year finally comes to an end, let’s look back and reflect on the Worst Marketing Campaigns of 2011 and understand what lessons we can learn from the following business decisions.
Worst Marketing Campaigns 2011:
Netflix
Netflix made two poor business decisions this year: In July, the DVD–rental and online–video company drove loyal customers away after raising the subscription plan by 60% and in an effort to spin off its DVD–rental service into a separation business called Qwikster, the company enraged customers for a second time which prompted Reed Hastings, chief executive officer to abandon the service after three weeks. Hastings’ stock options have been cut by 50% after this year.
Lesson Learned: Don’t fix something that’s already working successfully.
Kim Kardashian: 72–day marriage followed by a divorce, released two new books, and unveiled the Kardashian Kollection
Los Angeles socialite Kim Kardashian has made headlines all year with the releasing of a new book Dollhouse and Kardashian Konfidential: New! Inside Kim's Wedding with Never-Seen Pix, Plus a New Chapter! co–authored with sisters Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian and a marriage to NBA Nets Kris Humphries followed by a divorce after 72–days of wedded bliss, which may have netted her additional income and publicity, but in all the wrong ways. Shortly after announcing her divorce on October 31, Kim and Khloe headed down under to Australia to promote and unveil their new handbag collection looking eerily similar as high–end designer knockoffs Balenciaga, Hermes, Chanel, Alexander Wang, YSL and many othersand one designer even sent the sisters a cease–and–desist letter to have one of the bags removed from the Kardashian Kollection website.
Lesson Learned: A well recognizable name will always net you plenty of publicity even if the information is unflattering and unprofessional.
Coke drinkers outraged over white can confusion with Diet Coke
Coca–Cola Co. learned the hard way not to change Coke in any way, not even the traditional red can it comes in. Loyal Coke drinkers received a startling surprise when their favorite Coca–Cola red can changed to a snow–white one for the holidays bringing consumer complaints because it looked similar to Diet Coke’s silver cans. Some even complained Coke tasted funny in the white can. Coke drinkers were so upset with the change, the company stopped producing the new snow–white cans and reverted back to red ones.
Lesson Learned: Coke will always be red, Diet Coke will forever be silver, and never change your company’s color on your marketing materials because your customers will not recognize you brand’s image.
Burger King: Dethrones the King mascot, fires agency who introduced the King mascot, adds California WHOPPER®, Oatmeal and new thick–cut fries to the menu (Free Fries Friday campaign)
After being badly beaten by its direct competitor McDonald’s in sales for years, Burger King spent 2011 dethroning their King mascot, firing their edgy advertising agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky whom introduced burger consumers to the King, introduced the California WHOPPER® and Oatmeal to their menu, and created the “Free Fries Friday” campaign to give consumers a free opportunity to try out their new thick–cut fries. The company is also under new ownership, management and marketing teams which means we can expect more changes next year.
Lesson Learned: McDonald’s will always be the number one fast–food giant for two very important marketing reasons, 1. The company focuses their attention on producing better food., and 2. The target audience is geared toward every consumer on the planet that enjoys eating good food at cheap prices, unlike Burger King who has been marketing to men in their teens and 20s. Besides, a guy wearing an extraordinary, large cheap mask and crown on his head is just down right scary.
Apple tribute logo designer generates Internet backlash
After the passing of legendary creative genius, Steve Jobs, an Apple tribute logo surfaced on the Internet designed by Jonathan Mak Long, Hong Kong graphic design student and went viral creating a buzz both positive and negative, with tens of thousands of visits to his Web site. A short while later, Chris Thornely, a British graphic artist claimed his Apple tribute looked eerily similar to the one Long created. Unfortunately, both designers might find themselves in hot water with Apple Inc. one day as the company clearly states on their website that “You may not use an image of a real apple or other variation of the Apple logo for any purpose.”
Lesson Learned: Never copy another designer’s artwork and try to pass it off as your own.
Nivea for Men ad pulled for being racially offensive to black community
Nivea, an international skin–care company released a print ad featuring a African American man attempting to throw a decapitated head away in an effort to reach out for a wider demographic to men, particularly in the black community. The ad copy read: “Re–Civilize Yourself.” Unfortunately, when the ad was viewed by the black community, outraged poured in and Nivea was forced to remove it and issued an apology via Facebook.
Lesson Learned: If you’re going to market a product specifically geared toward the black community, it would be extremely beneficial to create a focus group of people within the Los Angeles black communities for what appeals to them.
Italian Vogue issues apology for slavery trend article
Italian Vogue, an international fashion magazine released an article on their website titled “Slave Earrings” regarding a new fashion trend for hoop earrings. Along with headline, a photo of a woman wearing large, gold hoop earrings and copy that reads “If the name brings to the mind the decorative traditions of the women of colour who were brought to the southern United States during the slave trade, the latest interpretation is pure freedom” accompanied the article. Once the public caught wind of the article, people lashed out at the magazine and posted an statement on their website, without an apology.
Lesson Learned: Stop insulting the black community with racist remarks because it shows a gross disrespect for people of color and when you make a mistake, issue a sincere apology, which will go a long way.
CoverGirl Cosmetics yanks ad for lying
CoverGirl Cosmetics tarnished their reputation and celebrity spokes–singer Taylor Swift’s in their print ads for NatureLuxe Mousse Mascara proclaiming women would also have lustrous lashes like Swift if they used the product, but in small fine print admitted that “lashes were enhanced in post production.” After the NAD, part of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, requested CoverGirl prove its mascara would double the volume of a women’s eyelashes after using the product, parent company Procter & Gamble immediately removed the ad in question.
Lesson Learned: It’s acceptable to use Photoshop to retouch images when necessary and prepare them for print or online use, but it is never appropriate to specifically advertise a promise that a product will do something and then lie about it.
GM advertisement offended cyclists
In an attempt to market their new 2012 Chevrolet Sonic subcompact sedan and the giant GMC Sierra 1500 truck, General Motors Co. released an ad that was primarily aimed at college students with a headline that read “reality sucks” and depicted a guy riding a bicycle wearing a helmet as he passed a young women in the passenger seat of a car along with the message “Stop pedaling…start driving”. The ad was pulled after receiving complaints.
Lesson Learned: Don’t make fun of cyclists…think of Lance Armstrong before you do.
Google Offers enters the Los Angeles daily deals market, very late
Los Angeles residents will have one more daily deals website competing for their business between Groupon, LivingSocal, AmazonLocal, YourBestDeals.com and now Google Offers which is not something special when it comes to daily deals. Google Offers is doing the same thing its competitors are doing and is coming into the daily deals market, very late.
Lesson Learned: If you’re going to enter the daily deals market, at least make a grand entrance and impact with a great concept like YourBestDeals.com, which does not focus on the impulse buy.
Myspace changes social marketing tactics
Just like Burger King, Myspace is never going to catch up to the number of online users Facebook has even after the dying social networking website was purchased by Orange County brothers Tim and Chris Vanderhook, owners at Specific Media for $35 million along with pop–star entertainer Justin Timberlake as another investor in the company in hopes to resurrect it back to life online. The site got a brand new design and brothers believe the new vision will be a place users can interact with celebrities and artists plus view content exclusively for Myspace, but it might be too late as Facebook has over 800 million active users.
Lesson Learned: It’s not about the ads and revenues that make your business grow, but your loyal customer base. Keep your customers happy and the money will always come in.
Google fights for a second attempt at social networking
Google made headlines again this year with their attempt at social networking by trying to go up against social networking giant Facebook that already has over 800 million active users on the website. The site named Google+ will operate like Facebook complete with status and photo updates along with being able to share other items with users. Plus, the website will also add group texting and video chatting services to make it easier for users to connect with people to all its products and services.
Lesson Learned: We already have one Facebook social networking website, Myspace is dying and Google+ is coming into the market very late and with no fireworks leaving disappointment online users. If you’re going to compete against Facebook for online users, at least come up with your own clever and cool concept.
Ben & Jerry’s Schweddy Balls flavor
In a tribute to “SNL” writers, actors and crew, Vermont ice cream maker Ben & Jerry’s released a new flavor for a limited time based on the classic “Schweddy Balls” sketch from “Saturday Night Live”. But unless you’re a SNL viewer that understands the humor behind the skit put on by Alec Baldwin, you’re in for a rude awakening with your 8–year–old at the supermarket.
Lesson Learned: Do we really want to hear a 8–year–old children scream to his mom at the top of his lungs in the middle of Ralph’s supermarket, “Hey Mom, let’s get “schweddy balls” ice cream!”?
Lexus spews the same holiday ad every year
Year after year, Lexus is running the same holiday ad featuring a snowy Christmas morning, a pajama–clad couple walking to the window to see…a brand new Lexus in the driveway with a big red bow onto. However, this year’s campaign has the same theme except Spouse #1 plays a little 10–note tune that Spouse #2 INSTANTLY recognizes as the Lexus holiday ad song, except nobody in real life is familiar with their unique holiday music.
Lesson Learned: Not everyone in the country that can afford to purchase a Lexus will get snow on Christmas morning, think Beverly Hills, Malibu and Brentwood, CA where the cost of a Lexus is chump change for many in those affluent neighborhoods. If you really want to ensure Lexus will be a hot, holiday item, feature Kim Kardashian for quick 10–second cameo and sales will go through the roof.
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